CIRCLE THE WAGEN is our feature-length documentary/love-letter to the vintage Volkswagen subculture in America—that close-knit underground community for whom the joy of driving is the joy of living.

Five years ago, my good friend Dave was planning to move back to LA after living in NYC for several years. Most people in the same situation would buy a plane ticket. Dave bought a bus. A 1972 Volkswagen bus. On eBay for $787 dollars.

A short flight to Des Moines, a grueling twenty-hour drive (that should have been about six), and three breakdowns later Dave found he and his baby blue transporter stranded outside of Tulsa, OK. It was only at this point that Dave, like a normal human being, bought that plane ticket back to LA.

But, as fate would have it, three short months later Dave found himself back in Tulsa to pick up the bus—now affectionately dubbed “The Croc”—with Charlie Pecoraro, myself, an RV packed with film equipment and a merry band of movie-making miscreants, and the adventure that we have come to know as Circle the Wagen had begun.

The mission was simple, or so it seemed: get that baby blue VW bus back to LA using the highways and byways of old 66, the “Mother Road." Needless to say, the three months of sitting in a church parking lot in Tulsa did nothing to improve the mechanical condition of the the Croc. But it was through the countless breakdowns, backfires, and blow-outs all across Middle America that the unexpected heart of Circle was revealed: a vast network of regular folks, VW owners themselves, who, out of the goodness of their heart and a deep love for these iconic vehicles, rescue perfect strangers who have been stranded by their beloved rust bucket.

The two primary reasons we want to finish Circle the Wagen are:

1) This is a FASCINATING subculture in America that few people, outside of it, know about. We want to showcase something in this country that highlights the good and redeeming nature of people. We don't think we hear enough about that.

2) To present Circle the Wagen as a gift to Volkswagen lovers everywhere, and above all to honor those good folks who brought us into their communities, into their homes, nursed us back to health, and showed us a grand time the memories of which will last a lifetime.

Now here’s where you come in…

Das Crowdfünd!

The film is in the can, and right now we have a solid rough cut of the movie. But we still have several more very important post-production steps to complete before the film's ready to show the world. And since many of the steps involve hiring professionals to fiddle with expensive equipment, hunched for long hours in dark, expensive studio spaces, all of them are costly.

This is our post-production budget breakdown:

Here is an example, just a tidbit, of the type of stop-motion animation we'll be using in different parts of the film by artist Jeremy Graham.

QR Flyer

This flyer is part of a "viral street strategy" we want to try out. By the people; for the people's... wagen! Just right-click the image and "Save"...

For those who aren't familiar, that black and white box is called a "QR code," and when someone scans it with their smartphone, it takes them straight to our Kickstarter page.

David Torstenson :"Guy who bought the bus", is known for his adventuresome spirit and engaging personality. A native of rural Nevada, he graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in Broadcast Journalism, then drove across the country to New York City where he lived out a life-long dream of playing in a rock band. His next adventure took him to Northern Iraq where he taught at an elementary school for the better part of 2006.

Throughout both his collegiate and post-collegiate career, David has performed in numerous musical ensembles and appeared in several films. During his senior year at USC he was the host of the nationally acclaimed college talk show, CU@USC, and was awarded the prestigious title of "Mr. USC."

Charlie Pecoraro :"Dave's best pal" Born into a family of Sicilian artists, actors, cooks, dancers & musicians, his love & appreciation of artistic expression was nurtured from an early age. A man of many curiosities, he dabbles in jazz drumming, chocolate, yoga, smoking, interior decorating & writing about food & film. Although acting has him by the balls.

Loves God, mankind & every way in which he can experience them & share it with others. Charlie is a graduate of USC School of Cinema-Television, represented by Origin Talent & a proud member of the Screen Actors Guild.

Ryan Steven Green : "Director" creates work that is characterized by a youthful exuberance left over from an unfashionably happy childhood. Ryan is captivated by all things beautiful, mundane, ugly, unnoticed, unappreciated, and disregarded, he is, in short, endlessly fascinated by nearly everything.

When asked how he does it, Ryan responded: “I want to please God in everything I do; I want to make sure that no matter where I am, what I am doing, I am fitting into the little groove that God created just for me; I never want to be outside of that groove.”

A graduate of the University of Southern California film school, Ryan has been writing and directing short films since he was fourteen. He is currently directing music videos and commercials in addition to other short-format animated productions.